By the second month of their living together, Zaylee had successfully become pregnant.
The Grive Family was very traditional and feudal. Even pregnancy couldn’t exempt Joanna from constant orders and strict rules. Battling morning sickness, she endured endless nagging from Garcia and had already become visibly worn out after three months.
Meanwhile, Zaylee only needed a single word from Darren to avoid any effort or hardship.
“From now on, Zaylee will be the Grive Family’s lucky star! You all must take good care of her!”
Though Joanna had long prepared herself mentally, the joy shining in Darren’s eyes as a new father still stabbed painfully at her heart.
During the pregnancy, Zaylee was very delicate. Darren stayed up sleepless out of concern for her morning sickness, personally cooked nourishing meals for her and the baby’s health and even, despite his cleanliness obsession, didn’t hesitate to catch her vomit by hand.
Zaylee carried his precious treasure in her womb.
So what exactly was the child that Joanna, five months pregnant, was carrying?
Back in the bedroom, Joanna stared at the wedding photo on the bedside table, suddenly feeling a sharp sting in her heart.
Once, Darren had pursued her actively. After they married, they even had two months of warmth and closeness. She had eagerly looked forward to carrying the fruit of their love and had imagined how the man would be after she became pregnant.
But now, things had changed, people were gone and all was lost. Before she could speak, tears flowed first.
After tidying up the couple’s pajamas, photo booth stickers and love albums, Joanna personally packed them all up and threw them away.
Behind her, Darren appeared without her noticing. When he saw the wedding photo, his eyes sharply flickered with surprise.
Then Darren grabbed Joanna’s wrist tightly, pressing her with a harsh tone.
“Joanna, what are you doing?”
“Drake,” Joanna sneered coldly at him, “Whatever I do is none of your business!”
Darren gritted his teeth, his dark pupils filled with menace.
“If my late brother knew, I wonder what he’d think from above. Joanna, you’re truly heartless!”
Joanna found it amusing. She instinctively pried each of Darren’s fingers apart, then turned and walked away.
“No need for you to worry about this, Drake.”
In the stairway, Zaylee was being supported by a servant. When she saw Joanna, she waved her hand dismissively, sending the servant away.
The woman curled her lips into a smug smile, her true nature completely revealed beneath her surface charm.
“Joanna, what are you pretending for? You’ve known the truth all along, haven’t you? How does it feel to watch the man you loved abandon you and be with me? Or maybe you still don’t know. Darren and I are each other’s first loves. Our feelings reignited long after you two got married. Even Drake’s car accident was a scheme we planned together!”
Joanna’s eyes widened in disbelief as she took a step back. “What did you say? You two disgusting lovers are utterly heartless! That was a living, breathing person!”
Zaylee stepped forward, pressing closer, smiling cruelly. “So what? He stood in my way! Even if it were two lives, what does that matter? If that bastard child in your belly stands in my son’s way...”
Joanna’s instincts screamed that something was wrong. She saw Zaylee suddenly change her expression, grab Joanna’s hand, then raise it. And with Joanna’s shocked eyes fixed on her, Zaylee slapped her own face twice, without using any force.
“Ah!”
The next moment, Zaylee fell like a falling butterfly, straight down from the second floor to the first.
Joanna was still stunned in place when Darren rushed over, furious. He glanced at the woman lying on the floor, then pushed Joanna forcefully.
Joanna, clutching her belly, slammed hard into the shelf behind her. The sharp metal blades cut open her forehead.
“Who allowed you to lay hands on Zaylee? No matter how jealous you are, you cannot harm an innocent child!”
Zaylee watched, tears streaming down her face, her voice rising in panic, “It hurts so much! Drake, will our baby be okay?”
Darren immediately scooped her up horizontally, holding her close and soothing her gently, but his eyes shot daggers at Joanna, as if wanting to kill her on the spot.
“Wicked woman! Despicable bitch! If anything happens to Zaylee and the child in her womb, I’ll make you and that bastard pay with blood!”
Joanna lay in a pool of blood from her forehead and the fresh flow beneath her didn’t stop.
Zaylee leaned softly against the man’s chest, flashing Joanna a provocative smile.
What a pathetic act.
Unfortunately, Darren left, not even sparing her a single glance.
